Simple modifications to common items
 

so i've had a pair of welding gloves sitting around for a few years now

similar to
http://nistools.com/images/WELDING%20GLOVE.jpg

and i got to thinking, there's some nice leather there, so here's what i did with one of them

took some scissors and cut a line down between each of the fingers right to the end
and i'm in the process of making 4 makeshift sheaths for smaller knives
the top of each " finger strip " will be used for a belt loop

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

was at the dollar store and saw some measuring spoons http://www.recipetips.com/images/glo...ing_spoons.jpg
i'll try the big one to apply downward pressure when using a firebow

the top of the spindle will be sharpened to a sharp point for less friction

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

You cut up a $15 pair of welding gloves to make a few knife sheaths? Scrap cow hide at the gun shows or flea markets are pretty cheap. Good gloves are better used as gloves. Just saying.....

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

While my welding gloves aren't welding they're on wood furnace duty.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Not sure what it says about me, other than I am single, but I use mine for kitchen work, Grabbing hot pans you know.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

If you ever break the hinges on a Igloo type cooler, retangular peices of scrap leather make great semi-permanent hinges.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Wear the welding gloves if you're going to try that. It'll heat up and that metal conducts heat nicely ... right into the palm of your hand. And a burn in the centre of the hand takes forever to heal.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

I use a Miller Glass I got from a bartender to roll dough for making pizza...

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

I make all kinds of things out of metal clothes hangers. You can cut and bend them into:
cup hangers
belt hangers
key hangers
eyeglass hanger (hanging over the side of the trash can in the can)

You can make a small eye in one end and attach to a wall with a small screw.

attach an alligator clip and you have a match extension

With a little imagination...

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

I wear wide brimmed hats (think - fedora)

They're a bit difficult to put on hooks etc...

I have a metal door leading to the garage.

I use magnets from http://www.kjmagnetics.com/ to hold my hats (and gloves) to the door.

It keeps them off the floor and handy.

There are thousands of uses for magnets.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

I'm pretty good at making nuclear warheads out of paperclips, gum, matches, and duct tape. I attribute this skill to watching too many "MacGyver" episodes! :biggrin:

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I'm too old to ninja any more, so I turned my stars into coat hooks.

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/92/ninjastar.th.jpg

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Here's how, with a few simple modifications, you can turn one gun into five guns:


http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/Pentagun.jpg

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Ok, here now is a serious item: If you have a cracked door jam, loose hinge, rotted post, any kind of wood repair, use Bondo. Yes, I mean the stuff from the auto parts store. Best wood filler there is. Follow the instructions on the can TO THE LETTER. If you get sloppy it doesn't work right. I had a rotted porch post once, so I sawed off the rotted part, about 8" of it. I drilled a hole in the cement and worked a piece of steel rod into it so the post wouldn't move sideways, then I troweled in the Bondo until it looked just like a post again and painted it.

For the loose hinge, epoxy glue usually works better because it's more liquid. Use masking tape to build a mold where you need it and put the glue in, being sure the screw holes get filled. After it sets you can pull the tape off. If the surface is wavy, sand it flat and add more epoxy to fill depressions. You have to drill holes for the screws.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

my weekend project

trying to make a food dryer from a 2 drawer filing cabinet

stick a heater in the bottom drawer
and maybe an upsidedown strainer/sieve on the top drawer

i'll try something simple like banana slices and apple slices

http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/...-2-drawers.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

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Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

I love Red Green!!

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Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

one of my neighbors uses a piece of rope for a tailgate on his pickup....
In an extreme fit of frugality, I exchanged the front and rear tires on my pickup, so the wear patterns would sort of cancel.... probably going to run them another 20,000 miles now.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

If you have small bottles that are easily knocked over, paint or iodine or whatever, glue them to a board. It doesn't have to be a big board, just bigger than the bottle.

When baking cakes and stuff the instructions always say to test with a toothpick. I don't know about you but I find it very easy to burn my thumb that way. I use a fondue skewer.

A while back I needed something to hold brooms and mops. I had a milk crate, one of those cheap plastic things from Target, so I cut clothes hangers and stuck them through the sides, weaving them for strength. Then I bent the ends over so they would stay in place. One grid at the top, one at the bottom. It works perfectly and cost nearly nothing.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

When I first saw those clear plastic snow plows, I said to myself "I can do that". Split a 55 gallon plastic fruit juice drum length wise, bolted halves end to end, metal reinforced the bottom edge and back, a couple chains and rubber bungee cords, and a few hooks etc. on a oak 2"x6" bolted to the front bumper of my old toyota 4x4 and I had a snow plow truck!

Five winters later I had wore that darn thing out and I had to spend another $25 or so on the stuff needed to build another one. Note, here along Lake Michigan we average about 100" of snow a winter and I have a 200' driveway.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Hoot - I'd love to see a picture!

I have a Ford Ranger and would (may) consider plowing my small street if I can get something like this.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

Wishn I easily could, have forgot how to upload. Current one is a third of a plastic barrel, two of the thirds bolted end to end, the other as a center backer. Steel plate across the bottom, angle across the top, four chains from the angle that go to hooks on the oak 2x6 bolted to the front of the truck frame. Doubled rubber bungees go from the ends of the angle up around 2 metal pins going up from the top of the 2x6 to the other end of the angle. Plow goes down to about an inch above the ground when snow loaded and is stopped by the chains from going back further; at the end of the push when you back-up the bungees pull the plow back up further off the ground.

Weighs about 70-80 pounds, takes about 30 seconds to put on or take off. Doesn't have the weight to stay down and scrape all the snow away,but gets most of it.

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http://www.snowpusherplus.com/ I have seen simpler versions of this with just a shovel handle, no wheels. It's amazing how much less effort it takes to push snow instead of lifting and throwing it.

http://www.snohoe.com/ Another handy tool.

Re: Simple modifications to common items
 

This is how to upload a picture...